Impregnating machine and process



July 10, 1928.,

LE ROY SEIDELL ET AL IMPREGNATING MACHINE AND PROCESS Filed April 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet NVENTOR l e 7170] z'dell f BY ewjge BJad; Jr. famili] @44%, ATTORNEYS `Iuly 10, 1928.

LE ROY SEIDELL ET AL IMPREGNATING MACHINE AND PROCESS 2 Sheets-Sht 2 Filed April 25, 1924 ail'impregnating solution is discharged into Ln -'nov siiinntr. AND-esoneri nnen, vJrc.,-Or' New izoairfii.

.. and celluloid in vola-tile solvents.4

. -.jMANUrAc'rUnING CORPORATION, orl BROOKLYN, N nw Yonxgfii'conronariolv or New Yoan...

4This invention relates to an improved chine and vprocess for impregnating fabrics with liquids such as dispersions of pyroxylin s Among the objects `of the invention is the provision of an improved machine and process for iiniforml impregnating throughout' fabrics and the ike with the production of uniform and unmarred surfaces of the same structure and appearance on both sides of the treated material in a simple and-direct operation.` The invention also includes an improved knife member adapted vfor general use in the impregnation and treatment of fabrics withliquids. l g jects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the improved machine o the invention and -in cari-yin .out the process of the invention, the fa ric undergoing treatment is fas trough and for removin moved upwardly through a trou h formed of inclined knives contacting at t eir-lower edges with opposite surfaces'of the fabric, and the impregnating solution is distributed over and throughv the fabric within\the trough'a-ndacross the upper faces of the inclined knives. The knives forming the trough are provided with a lon 'tudinal recess in the upper face arrange away from the lower` e'dgel which contacts with the fabricand generally parallel thereto. The

this recess, from which it overfiows over the upper face of the knives' bet-Ween the recess andthe loweredge, Onto and' through the fabric passing across the lower edge. Ar#v rangements are also provided for impre nating the fabric vwith a pretreating liquid before it passes .through the' limpregnating y any.` excess impregnating liquid after -itv the impregnating trough.

In the preferred formv of the machine of -4 :l theiiivention, the elements of the machine contacting with the-fabric undergoing treatment are arranged in pairs, each element L fbeing adapted for'supporting the fabric against the opposite element, an'd the pairs of elements` are arranged'in superposed relation, whereby the fabric undergoing treatment is keptY free from contact with other edges-or surfaces on both sides. The elements on each side of the path of the fabric `are supported in separate frames, and provision is made for supporting the opposite -Alipucuon nieiapriizs, 19.24.;xsnigiirmrosnL- f g l Other and further ob' passes through frames in obi-rect relationagainst the oppo# site sides of the fabric passing through the]` lmachine; .Adjustmentsare also "providedj for maintainmg the proper relation between the 'elements of each pairand the fabric; i

'i The4 improved knife member of ,the ine vcntion is ofgeneral applicatiomand 'is adapted for use in .the treatment. of both sides of the fabric or of' only one side of;

the fabric: Where theffim rovedknfe is employed m treating one sidbof the fabric, the fabric isv su ported againstV the lower edge of the knifii by meansl ,of a table orother vsuitable support, and the impregnat ing vliquid is distributed over the surface of the fabric contacting with the knife and iowing over the upper face of the-knife -to the ed ej as it overiows vfrom the recess.

The fa ric may be passedhorizontallyun der the lower edge of the knife, either in a.-

direction toward the back face of theknife 'or toward the face` over which ,the im re nating liquid is flowing. Where the abrio is passed .in a direction toward the face of the knife over which the impregnating l iq uid is iowing, the knife alsoassists in removing excess'liquid fromr the fabric.

'lof

The inventon'will be further described in connection with the accompaiyingvdrawingsl illustrating a machine embodying the invention and adapted v'for carrying out the process of the invention, but itwill be understood .that this specific illustration and the following description are for thepurpose of exemplification and that the invention is not limited thereto. v

In the accompanying drawings: odying the Figzl represents a machine em invention in vertical section on line 1-1 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 2 is a 'vertical section on line of Fig. 1,

as'. i

4' Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine f shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is aI side view of the machine shown in 1,

in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a top view ofthe machine shown Fig.v6 is an enlarged detail in section of a fragment of a knife embodying the in vention.

Referring to the drawings, the end frames 10 are connected and spaced bythe space l i bars 11 and the space rods 12 and 13, and

are supported by the rails 1 4 and'l forming guideways at the upper and lower ends of the end frames 10. The opposite pairs of guideways-are parallel and are adapted to support the frames formed vby the endv framesand the space rods and bars in alignment o n opposite sides of the -path of the fabric through the machine. Each lpair of end frames are also connected by the rods or bars 416 and 17. Knives 18 are supported between the end frames on rods 16 and Scrapers 19 are supported between the end frames/on the bars 17 Hollow rollers 2O are supported on hollow shafts 21 'ournalled in slides carried by ways in the rame.

The knives 18, forming the impre nating trough, are rotatably mounted on tie rods 16 and are adapted -to be supported avainst fabric passing through the trough by knuckle Ishafts 22 pivoted inthe knuckle bases 23 on the knives. The knuckle shafts are threaded in hand wheels 24 supported against end plates 25 carried by angle members 26 on the spacebars 11. By rotation of the hand wheels 24, the knives 18 are ad- 'usted with respect to fabric passing there' etween.

A recess 27 is provided in the upper faces of the knives 18 spaced away from the lower edges 28 vand having the edge of the recess 29 in the upper face of the knife parallel to the lower edge 28 of the knife. The faces 30 of the knives 18 between the edge of the recess 29 and the lower edge of the knife 28 and for a short'distance on each side thereof are ground and polished. As shown in Figp, the surface of the knife is ground and polished between the points a and b. Feed troughs 3l are supported between end frames 10 and have a series of 'apertures 32 in the lower part thereof arers 20, are jou'rnalled in roller slides 34 which are supported in ways in the lower `part of the end frames 10. Springs 36 are positioned about slide bars 37 between the roller slides andthe end of the ways 35 thereby tending to force the rollers toward the path of the fabric. Hand wheels 38 are .threaded on the outer ends of the slide bars therethrough. By rotation of the hand wheels'l, the limit to which the rollers 2O can be 'ioved by the springs 36 is adjusted. Tlie rollers 20 comprise a perforate cylinder 38 covered with resilient porous materialr such as felt as shown at 39. Pretreating liqpid is supplied to the hollow shafts 2l (t rough connections not shown), passes through perforations 40 in the hollow shaftsto the interior of thecylinders 38. and is distributed through the layer'of porous Inaterial covering the roller through perforations 41. .j

In operation, the fabric tobe reated is passed upwardly in succession between the pairs of rollers, knives and scraper/sand the impregnating liquid is supplied to 'the troughs 31 and the retreating liquid to the 'hollow shafts 21. Y he impregnating liquid may be supplied to the feed troughs from any* suitable tank or supply receptacleA through a pipe discharging into the trough,

or preferably, through a pipe havinga series of outlets along the feed troughs. In passing between the' rollers 20, the fabric is thoroughly impregnated with the pretreating liquid with which the porous covering of the rollers is saturated. The fabric then passes between the lower edges of the knives 18' forming the impregnatingtrough. The impregnating liquid is discharged and distributed'into the recesses 27 in the knives 18 through the apertures in the feed troughs and forms a puddle in the recesses which overflows the edge 29 of the recess. The overiowing liquid flows in a film across the polished faces of the knives toward the lower edges where it contacts with and uniformly impregnates the fabric passing between the lower edges. Excess liquid is removed from'the fabric asit passes between` the Scrapers 19 after leaving the impregnating trough.

In the impregnating trough, the impreg nating liquid overflows from the puddles formed in the recesses in the knives in the form of a thin film. This film becomes substantially .uniform in flowingl across the polished face of the knife. The puddle in the recess also assists in maintaining the distribution of impregnating liquid uniform.` The upwardly moving fabric is thus contacted, simultaneously, on both surfaces with a' substantially uniform film movin in a' downwardly direction toward the fa. ric.

Where the pretreating liquid or the impregnating liquid comprise valuable volatile components, the impregnating machine 'i is enclosed in a housing connected to suitable recovery apparatus through which the vapors are withdrawn for the recovery of such components.

Whilethe improved machine of the invention lis of general application, it is of special value and application in connection with the process described in an application ias filed February 25th, 1924, Serial No. 695,039,

for the treatment of fabric with thin solu tions of low viscosity containing cellulose esters. For example, the impregnating liquid, supplied to the feed troughs 31, may comprise a solution in a mixed solvent, such as a mixture of alcohol, benzol, and ethyl acetate, or a mixture of alcohol and benzol with acetone or ether, of cellulose nitrate or cellulose acetate together vwith camphor. The pretreating liquid,r supplied to the hollow shafts 21, may comprise vthesolvent mixture employed in the impregnating liquid. The improved impregnating machine of the invention is also useful in the treatment of other material in sheet form such as paper and the like.

It will thus be seen that this invention provides an improved machine and process for impregnating fabrics in which the fabric undergoing treatment is thoroughly and uniformly impregnated throughout and with simultaneous treatment of both surfaces of the fabric. In the improved machine, both surfaces ofthe fabric are uniformly treated and neither surface is subjected to prolonged contact with any of the elements of the machine. After impregnation inthe machine,

the surfaces of the fabric are contacted only l with the Scrapers for removing excess liquid.

It will further be seen that the invention provides an improved knife which is particularly effective in accomplishing a uniform distribution 'of liquid over the fabric undergoing treatment.

We claim:

1. An improved knife adapted for use in impregnating machines, having a lower edge adapted to contact with the material treated and a recess adapted to contain a'puddle of treating liquidV in one face of the knife arranged away from the lower edge and substantially parallel thereto.'

' 2. In an impregnating machine, an in-Y clined knife having a lower edge adapted to Acontact with the material treatedv and a recess in the upper face thereof arranged away from the said edge and substantially parallel thereto, means for supplying liquid to the recess, and Vmeans for supporting. the material treated against the said lower edge of the knife.

3. In an impregnating machine, a trough I prises forming two films of lmpreglf,atingQP4 liquid, bringing said films in contact with. opposite sides of the material vto be treated,

and moving thematerial past said films ina direction contrary to the direction of motion of said films.

5. A method of impregnating which comprises forming a filmof impregnating. liquid, bringing said film in contact with the material to be treated, and moving the material past said film in a direction contrary to the direction of motion of said film.

6. A method .of impregnatingwhich com?` prises forming two substantially uniform downwardly flowin films of impregnating liquid, simultaneously bringing said-films in contact with opposite sides of the material to be treated-and moving the material upwardly past said films.

tures. f

' LE ROY SElDELL.

GEORGE B. JACK, JR.'

In testimony whereof we affix our signa- `v 

